Thursday, August 20, 2015

The Bonds, North and South Twin, and Galehead Hikes

TRIP DATE:      August 7-9, 2015                                

TRIP LOCATION:          The Bonds, North and South Twin, and Galehead with two nights at Galehead Hut
MEETING TIME:          9 am at trailhead of North Twin trail to car spot and carpool to Gale River trailhead

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): Six       
TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS):       1st Day: About 4 hours up Gale River trail to hut, and another hour round trip to Galehead summit. 2nd Day: 10 hours up South Twin and out to Bond and Bondcliff and return, including spur to West Bond. 3rd Day: 6 hours 15 minutes up South Twin, over North Twin and descent to spotted cars.

LENGTH IN MILES:      1st Day: 6.2 miles (about 5.2 to hut plus 1 mile up Galehead and back). 2nd Day: 12.3 miles. 3rd Day: 6.4 miles
TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET):    1st Day: 2400 feet including Mt. Galehead. 2nd Day: 4201 feet cumulative gain. 3rd Day: 1128 feet up South Twin before beginning descent

DIFFICULTY:  A  day 2, B days 1 and 3      (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)
LEADER NAME(S):       Len Ulbricht

CO-LEADER NAME(S): Walt Granda
TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:    We met at North Twin trailhead, left three cars and carpooled two cars to Gale River trailhead. North Twin trailhead about 3 miles in on dirt road from Rte. 3. Gale River trailhead about 2+ miles in on dirt road (Trudeau Rd) from Rte. 3. About 3 miles of Rte. 3 separates the two access roads.

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:      Yes                   TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS: 30 minutes
WAS TRIP WITHIN WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?              Yes

BRIEFLY DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED: 1st Day: Gale River trail to hut, Frost trail to Galehead summit and back. Muddy conditions on first two miles of Galehead trail. 2nd Day: Twinway trail up South Twin and Guyot to Bondcliff trail and Mts. Bond and Bondcliff. On return took West Bond spur to West Bond and back.  The first half mile up South Twin is steep and a jumble of boulders. The rest of Twinway and Bondcliff trail have wet spots and several ups and downs. 3rd Day: Twinway up South Twin (again) and then North Twin trail over North Twin and descent to spotted cars. Last two miles has 3 water crossings. Water level was low (no recent rains). We changed to water crossing shoes though other hikers rock hopped. There is no longer a fallen tree across first crossing (when descending) to scootch across on.
WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE: Perfecto. Three days of sunshine, temps in 60s, and light winds.

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.): Strenuous 2nd day of 12 miles in 10 hours  (book time 8 hours) required monitoring progress against pre-planned schedule in case early turn around became necessary. See attached waypoint schedule.

Photo:  Mt Bond to Bondcliff from West Bond
Left peak is Mt Bond (el 4698 ft). Right peak is Bondcliff (el. 4265 ft)
Courtesy of Len Ulbricht

 

 
 
 
 

 
 


 
 

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